Algonquin’s Eve Roiter slides to try to beat a tag at home plate during her team’s game against Marlborough, May 6.
By Dakota Antelman, Managing Editor
NORTHBOROUGH/MARLBOROUGH – The Algonquin and Marlborough High School softball teams opened their season with a bang May 6.
Taking the field in Northborough, the two teams engaged in a batting slugfest over seven innings. After all that, Marlborough came out on top by the slimmest of margins, winning by a score of 22-21.
The game opened with Marlborough scoring five runs in the top of the first inning. Algonquin quickly answered, though, with two runs of its own.
Marlborough pulled away in the second and third innings, scoring four more runs across those frames while shutting out Algonquin on defense.
Things heated up in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings as Algonquin reawakened its bats to score a total of 12 runs.
Marlborough answered with 10 runs of its own before then getting shut out in the sixth inning.
The teams entered the seventh inning with Marlborough ahead 19-14. Though the Panthers led off with three runs to pad that lead, Algonquin still nearly pulled off the comeback, driving seven runners around the bases.
They fell short, however, losing their season opener.
This game marked the first time in nearly two years that either softball team got to take the field for a varsity game.
The setting looked somewhat different as players still wore masks and as social distancing remained in effect. But the game was back.
“Spring season starts today,” Algonquin Athletic Director Michael Mocerino Tweeted before this softball matchup. “We can’t believe it’s finally here!”
Coming out of their contest in Northborough, Algonquin met the Westborough Rangers for a game in Westborough on May 8. They dropped that matchup by a score of 16-9, falling to a 0-2 record on the year.
Marlborough, meanwhile, hosted Groton Dunstable on the same afternoon, roaring to another win by a 11-2 margin.
